Hey guys! This month I'm hanging out with my friend—the
amazing Debby Ryan, star of Disney Channel's Jessie! You may know her as an actress with her own hit TV
show, but she's also a producer, businesswoman, fashion diva and musician (did
you hear her fab T-Swift cover on You Tube?) Debby's a huge supporter of the Body Peace blog, so I thought who
better to sit down with and help me guest-edit this month's column. Enjoy! — Jess

Dear Debby,

I'm 17 and dream of becoming an actress. My school has a drama department, but I'm very shy and have low self-confidence. How can I be successful in doing what I love if I'm too scared and insecure?

Mariha

Hey Mariha,

I know exactly where you're at. When I started acting, I hid in the curtains between scenes. But the second you step out of the wings and onto that stage, there's no room for doubt. Let that spotlight fill you up with shine, and pass that onto the audience. Sometimes it works and sometimes it's a path to something different. All I know is there is that nothing worth fighting for is going to be easy. If you think this is what you're meant to do, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. I'm going to be honest with you: acting can be embarrassing. I would know! But you have to remember that the audience is there to watch the story you're telling. They want you to succeed. And they want some of your shine, so don't hold back! Leave it all on the stage. See you in the spotlight, Mariha!